New Eats: Prohibition

The entrance of Prohibition sets the right mood.

You walk in (velvet ropes, hostesses, brisk whisking away of coats, etc.) and descend a dramatic staircase into the dim, sumptuous, underground, 1920s-speakeasy-inspired bar designed by Toronto firm Munge Leung (also responsible for the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s gorgeous 2011 reno). There’s an ebony ceiling and a stage immediately to your right; Prohibition promises live music nightly and, when we were there, the tunes were sexy-jazz incarnations of pop hits à la the Baz Luhrmann Gatsby soundtrack (no Young & Beautiful yet … well, except for the well-dressed crowd, who lounged in blue banquettes and gold-ish reclined chairs, sipping champagne and eating Northern Divine caviar blinis). Cocktails with housemaid bitters and menu items like smoked duck poutine suit Coal Harbour appetites perfectly.

And the atmosphere? Dangerously sexy. —Adrienne Matei

Prohibition, 801 West Georgia Street (enter off Howe), 604-682-5566, prohibitionrhg.com